Comedy News Round Up

More Helpings of Mitchell and Webb, Sam Campbell Goes On Tour...

Yes we know it was hit and miss but then aren’t all sketch shows? The good news is that Channel 4 has announced the series two commission of sketch comedy Mitchell and Webb Are Not Helping,

It was clearly more hit than miss. The show was Channel 4’s biggest comedy launch since 2018 with the opening episode consolidating at 2.3 million (28-days). The series average (pre-TX to 28-day) cements it as Channel 4’s 3rd biggest scripted comedy title behind only Friday Night Dinner and Derry Girls. More details here.

Maisie Adam’s march towards broadcasting domination continues. she will be teaming up with three-time FA Cup winner Jill Scott MBE to present Channel 4’s coverage of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.

Coverage begins with the Third Round Proper this weekend on Saturday 13th December, when Channel 4 brings viewers Wolverhampton Wanderers v Nottingham Forest live from Hednesford Town. Oh, and you can also catch Maisie on tour - I don’t know how she fits it all in but I’m glad she does. More here.

Gloopy comedy star Sam Campbell is going on tour. The show is entitled Kid Giblet. I’ll let the Taskmaster star explain in his own words.

Sam says: “I definitely don’t know what’s going on. I’m not even sure I know what’s happening anymore. BUT I cannot wait to come to your town and respect your traditions. I have been on tv over 5 times. May I divulge a secret? I have purchased a large metal ring. I will use it to keep all of the keys to the city that are given to me by the mayors I impress with my showmanship. Live comedy is straight up amazing because people gather to watch it in a spectacular setting rather than ogling a evil phone screen in some horrid grey dank little corner.”

Buy tickets here.

One of this year’s Christmas TV highlights has got to be the Amandaland special that “begins and ends with a pavlova and has loads of laughs in between.”

Amanda (Lucy Punch) and the family head to Aunt Joan’s country house, but the plans change when Mal and Anne tag along and she struggles to recreate the magical Christmases she spent there as a child. And best of all, aunt Joan is played by Jennifer Saunders, reuniting with her AbFab friend Joanna Lumley. Read an interview here.

Yes, that is a picture of the Cure’s Robert Smith below. And no, he isn’t pivoting into stand-up. But he has curated the Teenage Cancer Trust Comedy Night at the Royal Albert Hall in March. Check out the full line-up – yes, of course it includes Maisie Adam – and buy tickets here.

Comedian and impressionist Ronni Ancona is joining the Eastenders cast. She plays the character of Bea – Linda Carter’s acquaintance from school. Though of course Ancona is so vocally versatile she could probably do the voices of everyone including Dirty Den (sorry, I haven’t watched EastEnders for a while). Details here.

And finally a bit more tour news. Greg Davies has extended his Full Fat tour into 2026 with some massive dates. And Olga Koch is going back on the road with a new show. Fat Tom Cruise sees the Melbourne and Edinburgh Comedy Award-nominated star comb through recent history in an immersive and genre-defying new show. That’s Koch below, not Davies.

Read more comedy news every day at beyond the joke.